About Heat City

Photo courtesy Kristina Davis

About Heat City

Heat City began on Jan. 5, 2009 as an experiment of sorts. I wanted to find out whether readers would be willing to help pay for the costs of original, quality journalism from the Phoenix area. Call it a form of crowdfunding. The idea is that good journalism costs money to produce and the people benefiting most from it are the readers. So Heat City has asked for a small amount of money to defray the costs of things like public records, notepads, pens and yes, even its space on the web.

As an experiment, the website has been successful. Every time Heat City has put up a button to ask for help, readers have given an average of about $20 each and met the fundraising goal. Occasionally, you’ll see that button reappear. I ask that you consider giving as little as $1 if you appreciate the work that appears here.

What does Heat City cover?

I’m a fan of serious, hard-hitting news. And if you’re reading this, you probably are too – or at least you appreciate it in some way. That’s why Heat City focuses almost exclusively on politics, criminal justice and the media industry.

Scandals. Leaks. Government secrets. I’m always open to a good story tip. So if you have one, email me and tell me about it. And if you’d prefer to remain anonymous, I can keep a secret as well as anyone.

About Nick Martin

I am a freelance journalist who has written for some of the largest news organizations in the U.S., including the Associated Press, New York Post, Denver Post, Seattle Times, Dow Jones Newswires and USA Today.

I live in the Phoenix area and cover an array of topics from crime to business to politics and beyond. On a local level, I was formerly a staff reporter for the East Valley Tribune, and occasionally you’ll see my work appear in PHOENIX magazine or other area publications. I also sometimes make appearances on local, national and international news broadcasts.

More often, you’ll see my byline listed as Nick R. Martin, but the middle initial comes and goes depending on my editor. You can find me on Twitter as @nickmartin and Facebook. You can also email me at nick@heatcity.org.

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Spring a leakGot an exclusive story? Know a secret the whole state should know? Send in a tip. Anonymity can be granted.